ESBD_510896_1779221500383_TRS000678-RFP_HR Advisory_Addendum 2.pdf

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)

May 19, 2026

ADDENDUM No.: 2

TO

SOLICITATION NO.: TRS000678

FOR

HR Advisory Service

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS: May 28, 2026, @ 5:00 p.m., Central time

LISTED BELOW YOU WILL FIND RESPONSES TO SUBMITTED QUESTIONS AND CHANGES TO THE

SOLICITATION.

ISSUED BY:

Dietrich Sanders, Contract Specialist

Date: May 19, 2026

NOTE: VENDORS ARE REQUESTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS ADDENDUM BY

SIGNING AND DATING BELOW AND INCLUDING WITH SUBMITTED RESPONSE. RESPONSE

MAY BE CONSIDERED NON-RESPONSIVE IF THIS COVER PAGE IS NOT SIGNED AND RETURNED.

RESPONDENT SIGNATURE DATE

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Incumbent and Initiative Scope: Is this RFP intended to replace an existing HR advisory subscription, or is this a new initiative for TRS? If a current solution exists, what specific capability gaps or service improvements is the agency looking to address with this new contract?

TRS Response: TRS is replacing an expiring contract. Please see Solicitation Section IX. Draft Contract, Scope of Work.

2. HR Team Baseline and Professional Development: What is the current level of education and professional experience of the TRS HR/OD staff team? Additionally, could TRS provide context on the specific training gaps, objectives, or existing professional development opportunities already provided to the HR team so we can best tailor our materials to supplement existing knowledge?

TRS Response: The TRS Organizational Excellence team spans a variety of functional areas (Learning and Development, Benefits and Leave, Employee Relations, Organizational Change Management, Culture and Experience, Operations, Compensation, Talent Acquisition, and Performance) and has staff at various professional levels, from interns to executive leadership.

3. Manager and Supervisor Data: Has TRS gathered any data regarding the common HR/OD-related needs, frequently asked questions, or topics of most interest for TRS managers and supervisors?

TRS Response: No, TRS has not gathered any data.

4. Existing Resources: What resources similar to those requested in this RFP are already provided by the State of Texas Human Resource function? Are there existing repositories of training and development resources available to TRS staff, and if so, what format(s) are most utilized (e.g., video, tip sheets, live coaching)?

TRS Response: The State of Texas has a de-centralized Human Resource function.

5. State Benchmarking: Has TRS sought benchmarking information from other states regarding what similar HR advisory resources they are currently using?

TRS Response: No, TRS has not sought this information.

6. Competency Models: Does the State of Texas or State of Texas HR utilize an enterprise-wide HR competency model and training program? If so, what are the core competencies of this model?

TRS Response: No, TRS does not utilize an enterprise-wide HR competency or training model.

7. LMS Compatibility and Technical Specifications: Section IV (Item A.3) requires "Training Materials compatible with TRS LMS". Does TRS specifically wish to house the awarded vendor's materials on the Cornerstone LMS, and what are the exact technical requirements for the training downloads? (e.g., Are you looking for SCORM-compliant files, or are standard PDFs/PowerPoints sufficient?)

TRS Response: TRS is open to a variety of formats for training.

8. Platform Definition: Does TRS require a proprietary SaaS software, or is a secure, managed content repository (like a dedicated SharePoint or Client Portal) with regularly updated expert research acceptable as the HR resource platform?

TRS Response: TRS does not require a specific platform architecture or that the solution be vendor-hosted. Respondents may propose a vendor-hosted solution or a TRS-hosted solution, provided the proposed approach meets the requirements of the Solicitation. If the solution is vendor-hosted, TRS requires SSO for authentication and the ability to retrieve/access its data. If the solution is to be hosted by TRS, it must be compatible with the TRS technology stack;

additional information would be needed regarding integration requirements, including potential SharePoint Online integration.

9. Advisory Volume: For the HR advisory support, is there a cap on the number of "Advisory Requests" (Ask an Expert) per month, or is the subscription expected to provide unlimited requests?

TRS Response: Advisory Requests would be based on need and TRS would be open to various models that meet that need.

10. Budget, Historical Spend, and Pricing Weight: Given that "Proposed Pricing" accounts for 15% of the evaluation weight, has a maximum budget been encumbered for this initiative to ensure continuous service delivery? To help align our proposed platform architecture and 'fully loaded' pricing, can TRS provide a target price range, an Estimated Not-to-Exceed (NTE) threshold, or the total contract value of the previous fiscal year's HR advisory subscription?

TRS Response: Yes, there is a budget. TRS cannot provide that information.

11. Mandatory Experience Requirement: The RFP states that the Respondent must have a minimum of four (4) years' experience providing similar HR advisory services. Does this four-year requirement need to be met by the Prime Contractor/Principal Lead exclusively, or can it be satisfied cumulatively through the combined experience of the entire proposed project team?

TRS Response: This requirement can be met by the Prime Contractor or team members assigned to the project. It cannot be met cumulatively.

12. Proposal Representation: If multiple consultants or entities are collaborating to deliver the requested services, is it acceptable to submit the proposal under a single Prime Contractor's company name that represents the entire team?

TRS Response: Yes, this is allowed.

13. Evaluation of Credentials: For the "Respondent’s Key Personnel" and "Respondent Past Performance" evaluation criteria, will TRS primarily evaluate the past performance and credentials of the Project Lead, or will the credentials of all proposed team members be evaluated holistically?

TRS Response: TRS will evaluate the answers to all questions appropriately.

14. Financial Qualifications: Are there any specific financial, revenue, or income requirements for the Prime Contractor submitting the proposal that must be documented in the response?

TRS Response: No, there are not any specifics for what is mentioned in the question.

15. Sections I and VI of the RFP state that “Respondent shall provide proof that Respondent has a minimum of four (4) years of experience providing HR advisory services substantially similar in scope…” Could TRS please clarify whether this requirement must be met strictly by the Respondent legal entity itself, or if it may be satisfied through the combined relevant experience of key personnel proposed to perform the Services (for example, where key staff have individually provided substantially similar HR advisory services for four or more years prior to formation of the Respondent entity)?

TRS Response: Please see answer to question 11.

16. Additionally, may experience from predecessor firms, affiliates, or subcontractors be considered in meeting this minimum qualification?

TRS Response: Yes, that experience may be considered.